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Digital Journal of Ophthalmology : DJO 2024We present the case of a 65-year-old man with bilateral keratoconus and history of bilateral penetrating keratoplasty (PK) who developed gradual visual decline in the...
We present the case of a 65-year-old man with bilateral keratoconus and history of bilateral penetrating keratoplasty (PK) who developed gradual visual decline in the left eye due to cataract formation. Following successful left eye cataract surgery and monofocal, non-toric intraocular lens (IOL) in-the-bag implantation, the patient experienced persistently low uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) due to high residual refractive error and intolerance to contact lenses. A supplementary toric IOL was placed in the ciliary sulcus, but subsequent rotational instability of the lens required repeated realignment. Despite two attempts at IOL repositioning, the rotational instability persisted, necessitating the replacement of the original Sulcoflex IOL with a toric, implantable Collamer lens. Following the implantation of the toric ICL, the patient achieved excellent UDVA with no adverse events over a 4-year follow-up period. This case highlights the potential rotational instability associated with toric piggyback IOLs in keratoconic, post-PK, pseudophakic eyes and the special considerations on choosing the type of piggyback lens in these eyes.
Topics: Humans; Male; Aged; Pseudophakia; Lenses, Intraocular; Visual Acuity; Keratoplasty, Penetrating; Prosthesis Design; Lens Implantation, Intraocular; Keratoconus; Refraction, Ocular; Postoperative Complications; Reoperation; Rotation
PubMed: 38962666
DOI: 10.5693/djo.02.2024.02.002 -
Cureus Jun 2024Hip dislocation is rare, and it typically results from high-energy trauma such as traffic accidents. Its management involves prompt reduction of the dislocated hip to...
Hip dislocation is rare, and it typically results from high-energy trauma such as traffic accidents. Its management involves prompt reduction of the dislocated hip to minimize the risk of subsequent femoral head necrosis. Consequently, cases of chronic hip dislocation are extremely rare. This report presents a case of a 33-year-old male with chronic posterior hip dislocation due to a traffic accident 13 years ago. The left femoral head was completely dislocated posteriorly from the acetabulum, forming a false acetabulum with an arthritic change. The patient experienced difficulty walking and performing daily activities due to pain. We performed a total hip arthroplasty (THA) using a combined anterolateral and posterior approach. The outcome was favorable, with no complications during the two-year follow-up period. THA using a combined anterolateral and posterior approach is a valuable option for patients with chronic post-traumatic hip dislocation because it offers the advantages of optical visibility and the management of the adhered soft tissues.
PubMed: 38962648
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61558 -
Cureus Jun 2024Sleep is essential for every living organism. Humans spend about one-third of their lives sleeping. Sleep has been studied extensively, and the role of sleep in... (Review)
Review
Sleep is essential for every living organism. Humans spend about one-third of their lives sleeping. Sleep has been studied extensively, and the role of sleep in psychological, mental, and physical well-being is established to be the best. The rhythm of the brain between wakefulness and sleep is called the circadian rhythm, which is mainly controlled by melatonin and the pineal gland. The imbalance of this rhythm can lead to devastating effects on health. Vigorous workouts close to bedtime can interfere with falling asleep. Meal timing and composition can significantly affect sleep quality. It is advised to avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. Heavy meals close to bedtime can lead to poor sleep and hormone disruption. By following these guidelines enumerated in the article, individuals can improve sleep quality and overall health. Sleep cycles, especially rapid eye movement sleep, have a profound influence on mental and physical health. Adhering to recommended sleep practices enhances bodily restoration, fortifies the immune system, and upholds metabolic equilibrium. Sleep hygiene aligned with circadian rhythms is crucial for disease prevention and well-being. Healthcare professionals should prioritize sleep optimization strategies for patient care and public health.
PubMed: 38962617
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61568 -
Canadian Studies in Population Sep 2023This essay provides a series of reflections on the current state of demography as seen by four early-career researchers who are actively engaged in aspects of the...
This essay provides a series of reflections on the current state of demography as seen by four early-career researchers who are actively engaged in aspects of the discipline as varied as research, teaching, mentorship, data collection efforts, policy making, and policy advising. Despite some claims that the discipline is weakening, we showcase the great potential of the field and outline promising pathways and novel directions for the future. In so doing, we critically assess recent innovations in data quality and availability, stressing the need to "revolutionize" the way that demographic methods are taught by adopting a viewpoint that more closely reflects the rapidly changing, or "fast," nature of global social phenomena such as conflict-related displacements, environmental disasters, migration streams, pandemics, and evolving population policies. We conclude by discussing the relevance of careful demographic analyses for policy making, stressing three main points: (i) the need to make demography more visible and understandable to the public eye; (ii) the importance of engaging and co-creating with local communities to "break" the academic bubble; and (iii) the urge to counteract the spread of misinformation-a phenomenon that has become even more visible in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak.
PubMed: 38962580
DOI: 10.1007/s42650-023-00076-8 -
ACS Applied Optical Materials Jun 2024Optical properties of molecules change drastically as a result of interactions with surrounding environments as observed in solutions, clusters, and aggregates. Here, we...
Optical properties of molecules change drastically as a result of interactions with surrounding environments as observed in solutions, clusters, and aggregates. Here, we make 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) highly luminescent by encapsulating it in crystalline melamine. Colored single crystals are synthesized by slow evaporation of aqueous tetrahydrofuran solutions of melamine and TCNQ. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals the lattice structure of pure melamine, meaning that the color is of impurities. Both mass spectrometry and UV-vis spectroscopy combined with density-functional theory calculations elucidate that the impurity species are neutral TCNQ and its oxidation product, dicyano--toluoyl cyanide anion (DCTC), whose concentrations in a melamine crystal can be controlled by adjusting the molar ratio between melamine and TCNQ in the precursor solution. Fluorescence excitation-emission wavelength mappings on the precursor solutions illustrate dominant emissions from DCTC while the emission from TCNQ is quenched by the resonance energy transfer to DCTC. On the contrary, TCNQ in crystalline melamine is a bright fluorophore whose emission wavelength centered at 450 nm with internal quantum yields as high as 19% and slow fluorescence lifetimes of about 2 ns. The method of encapsulating molecules into transparent melamine would make many other molecules fluorescent in solids.
PubMed: 38962570
DOI: 10.1021/acsaom.4c00110 -
ACS Applied Optical Materials Jun 2024Passive radiative cooling technology has the potential to revolutionize the way of cooling buildings and devices, while also helping to reduce the carbon footprint and... (Review)
Review
Passive radiative cooling technology has the potential to revolutionize the way of cooling buildings and devices, while also helping to reduce the carbon footprint and energy consumption. Pioneer works involving anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanostructures showed controversial results. In this work, we clarify how the morphological properties and chemical structure of AAO-Al samples affect their optical properties and their cooling performance. Changes in thickness, interpore distance, and porosity of the alumina layer, as well as the used counterions, significantly affect the cooling ability of the AAO-Al structure. We measure a maximum temperature reduction, Δ, of 8.0 °C under direct sunlight on a summer day in Spain, coinciding with a calculated peak cooling power, , of 175 W/m, using an AAO-Al sample anodized in sulfuric acid, with 12 μm of AAO thickness and 10% of porosity. These results represent a significant improvement over previous studies, demonstrating the potential of AAO nanostructures to be used in thermal management applications.
PubMed: 38962566
DOI: 10.1021/acsaom.3c00216 -
ACS Applied Optical Materials Jun 2024Anodically coloring electrochromes have received attention in recent years as high-contrast alternatives to cathodically coloring electrochromes due to their superior...
Anodically coloring electrochromes have received attention in recent years as high-contrast alternatives to cathodically coloring electrochromes due to their superior optical contrast during electrochemical switching. While current systems represent significant progress for organic electrochromics, it is necessary to expand the structural diversity of these materials while simultaneously reducing the hazards associated with synthetic protocols. With these considerations in mind, a family of 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-]pyrrole (DHPP) chromophores with varying functionalities along the 2,5-axis was envisioned to accomplish these goals. After predicting different absorbance traits as oxidized molecules with time-dependent density functional theory, DHPP chromophores with varying peripheral functionalities were synthesized in a single aerobic synthetic step via an iron-catalyzed multicomponent reaction and characterized as high-contrast chromophores. In solution, the DHPP chromophores absorb in the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, resulting in color-neutral *** color coordinates of ∼100, 0, 0. Upon chemical oxidation, each molecule transitions to absorb at various points across the visible spectrum based on the extent of electron-donating ability and can display five distinct colors. Importantly, the chromophores are redox-active and display switching capabilities with an applied electrochemical potential. In conjunction with building fundamental insights into molecular design of DHPP chromophores, the results and synthetic simplicity of DHPPs make them compelling materials for color-controlled high-contrast electrochromes.
PubMed: 38962565
DOI: 10.1021/acsaom.4c00197 -
ACS Applied Optical Materials Jun 2024Monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air is significantly gaining importance due to their adverse effects on human health. Among the diverse detection...
Monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air is significantly gaining importance due to their adverse effects on human health. Among the diverse detection methods is optical sensing, which employs materials sensitive to the presence of gases in the environment. In this work, we investigate polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), one of the materials utilized for gas sensing, in a novel transducer: a surface relief diffraction grating. Upon adsorption of the volatile analyte, the PDMS grating swells, and its refractive index changes; both effects lead to increased diffraction efficiency in the first diffraction order. Hence, the possibility of VOC detection emerges from the measurement of the optical power transmitted or diffracted by the grating. Here, we investigated responses of PDMS gratings with varying surface profile properties upon exposure to VOCs with different polarities, i.e., ethanol, -butanol, toluene, chloroform, and -xylene, and compared their response in the context of the Hansen theory of solubility. We also studied the response of the grating with a 530 nm deep surface profile to different concentrations of -xylene, showing a sensitivity and limit of detection of 0.017 μW/ppm and 186 ppm, respectively. Structures in the PDMS were obtained as copies of sinusoidal surface gratings fabricated holographically in acrylamide photopolymer and revealed good sensing repeatability, reversibility, and a fast response time. The proposed sensing technique can be directly adopted as a simple method for VOC detection or can be further improved by implementing a functional coating to significantly enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of the device.
PubMed: 38962564
DOI: 10.1021/acsaom.4c00138 -
Cancer Diagnosis & Prognosis 2024Intraocular metastases of systemic cancer are most frequently located in the choroid, followed by the iris and ciliary body, while retinal metastases are extremely rare....
BACKGROUND/AIM
Intraocular metastases of systemic cancer are most frequently located in the choroid, followed by the iris and ciliary body, while retinal metastases are extremely rare. Here we present a case of retinal metastasis and analyze multimodal imaging.
CASE REPORT
A 66-year-old woman with a medical history of breast cancer 5 years earlier was referred to our Department struggling with blurry vision in her right eye. At initial examination, her best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 1.0 oculus dexter (OD). Fundus examination revealed a yellowish elevated lesion with irregular surface, measuring 2 papillary diameters, along with serous retinal detachment (SRD) on the temporal side of the optic disc. Optical coherence tomography showed SRD with an isointense nodule extending across all retinal layers. Fluorescein angiography showed hyperfluorescence and vigorous fluorescence leakage inside the tumor in the early and late phases, respectively. Indocyanine green angiography depicted feeder and drainage vessels within the mass. Laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) showed a cold signal inside the tumor. Based on these clinical findings, the mass was diagnosed as a retinal metastasis. Eight days after the initial visit, the patient underwent external beam radiation to the right eye. One month after the initial diagnosis, her BCVA was 0.7 OD, the tumor was localized, and SRD had decreased. LSFG indicated vascular remodeling with marginally warmer signals in the tumor.
CONCLUSION
LSFG of the retinal metastasis showed a cold signal, suggesting low tumor blood flow velocity and that the tumor may have grown slowly. LSFG findings are likely to play a supportive role in clinical diagnosis and contribute to better understanding of pathogenesis in juxtapapillary tumors.
PubMed: 38962533
DOI: 10.21873/cdp.10361 -
ACS Applied Nano Materials Jun 2024Designing a multifunctional device that combines solar energy conversion and energy storage is an appealing and promising approach for the next generation of green power...
Designing a multifunctional device that combines solar energy conversion and energy storage is an appealing and promising approach for the next generation of green power and sustainable society. In this work, we fabricated a single-piece device incorporating undoped WSe, Re- or Nb-doped WSe photocathode, and zinc foil anode system enabling a light-assisted rechargeable aqueous zinc metal cell. Comparison of structural, optical, and photoelectric characteristics of undoped and doped WSe has further confirmed that ionic insertion of donor metal (rhenium and niobium) plays an important role in enhancing photoelectrochemical energy storage properties. The electrochemical energy storage cell consisting of Re-doped WSe (as the photoactive cathode and zinc metal as anode) showed the best photodriven enhancement in the specific capacitance of around 45% due to efficient harvesting of visible light irradiation. The assembled device exhibited a loss of 20% of its initial specific capacitance after 1500 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles at 50 mA g. The cell also provided a specific energy density of 574.21 mWh kg and a power density of 5906 mW kg at 15 mA g. Under otherwise similar conditions, the pristine WSe and Nb-doped WSe showed photoenhanced induced capacitance of 43% and 27% at 15 mA g and supplied an energy density of 436.4 mWh kg and 202 mWh kg, respectively. As a result, a reasonable capacitance improvement obtained by the Re-WSe photoenhanced zinc-ion capacitor could provide a facile and constructive way to achieve a highly efficient and low-cost solar-electrochemical capacitor system.
PubMed: 38962508
DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.4c01405